Air cooling attachment for electric fans



Feb. 5, 1935.

R. J. BYRD AIR COOLING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC FANS Filed Dec. 9, 1953 Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNHTTED STATES "PATE-NT OFFICE Ruddcll J. Byrd, Waxahachie, Tex. Application ADecember 9, 1933, Serial No. 701,623

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements -in aircooling and humidifying attachments for electric fans-andparticularly to improvementsto that type of cooling attachment issued to `William G. Rogers, July 4, 1933, and bearing United States Patent No. 1,916,332.

Another object of the invention is to provide a humidier which includes a rotor comprising a plurality of flat imperforate blades extending radially yfrom :the axis of the rotor and provided with absorbent material extending `substantially the `length ofthe blades Vand having a portion adapted to dip into a water tank during rotation ofthe blades, together with a fan or other means for passing air axially through the rotor vwith a whirling4 movement, whereby the blades are rotated and moisture is imparted to the atmosphere,

.Another Objectis to provide means for furnishing a vregulated. supplyof water to the vwater tank of the humidifier in which the blades dip, Whereby the `speed of rotation of the rotor andthe amount of moisture picked up is regulated.

A further'object `is to provide a wiper element locatedjust 4above the level of the water, and adapted to engagethe blades ofthe rotor successively as they leave the water to Vremove excess Water-and to prevent undue speeding of the rotor.

Another object of the present invention is'the provision of means `for automaticallywiping the ends of the rotor arms of any surplus ,wateras these arms revolve, tto eliminate all possibility of occasionaldrops of .waterfrom being blown-from these arms. The placing andfastening or threading of the cloth onto the rotor arms has also been facilitated by an improved construction of rotor arms. VLikewise the possibility of Water dripping onto the hub is also prevented.

A 'further object of the invention is the provision of an additional water container or tank spaced from the regular water receptacle carried bythe cooling attachment, whereby'the waterin the `latter may be maintained at a required'and constant level or supply and which is automatically fedto the cooler attachment.

Finally,a suitable and exible hose connection is provided between the two sources of water supply, -andmeans are likewise provided for draining the cooler `attachment when necessary.

"'With the preceding objects in view, the invention-maybereadily understood fromja perusalpf the following detailed description, takeninconnectionwith theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of an electric fan with its motor, the cooling attachment, and an extraneous water supply tank, and embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vfront elevational view of thecooling attachment perse, the front being partly broken away Afor convenienceof illustraion.

Figure 3 isa cross-sectional vewof Figure 2, the .View being hadon the line 3 3 thereof.

Figure 4,is a sideelevational View of the rotor removed from the drum.

Figure 15 :is a .cross-sectional view of Figure 3, taken through the hub of the rotor and on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view, taken on the line :6 6 of Figure l, illustrating the automatic feeding of water `to the cooling attachment from the additional water tank.

Having.a;m0re detailed Yreference to the drawing, -like parts bearing vlike indicating identifications, l .denotes an electric motor having a fan shaft upon which is mounted a fan 3, the blades being protected by the usual form of guard 2. The blades being inclined are adapted to impart ariorward as welles a .whirling movement to the air, in the usual manner. The cooling attachment embodies a circular drum 4, openat both sides, and having Y a rolled :edge 5 for providing additional strength. Thisdrum isremovably fastened to the fan -.guar d:2 by the strips 16 and 17, their construction beingv more clearly shown in Figure 3.

InFiguresZ and 3 the drum is shown ashaving a back plate Gand a front plate 6', both plates being lsecurely Vwelded to the drum at its rolled edge, as Will be Vapparent from Figure 3; 'The upperrportions ,of thesezplates thus form a bearing or support-forra'shaft Sofa hub 9, clearly shown in Figure 5. Spaced upon and around the hub are the radials or arms .11, and longitudinally or" the hub anddisposedthereupon and between the radials are the strips 12. These latter strips are arranged Va slight distance `from the hub as shown ,so 'that the absorbent cloth 13 may be passed through and I,tl'ienover theouter ends .8 of the arms, as indicated'in Figure 2, after which the endsof theclothare-'fastened together. The endsfof the hub are provided ,with acap 10.and between the cap and the plates ,6 and 6 are washersi'l. lByztightening the nut onthe end of the shaft' `therwashers Tmay be tightly engaged againstthe hub caps 110, wherebyrthe speed of the r rotor fmayberegulated or the rotary `movement stoppedtentirely.

The bottom of the drum together with the front and rear plates thus forms a water receptacle for water B through which the arms carrying the cloth are adapted tomove The plates 6 and 6 also provide a bracing means.

A small strip of rubber 14 is fastened to the drum as shown in Figure 2 for the purpose of wiping the ends of the arms as they pass to eliminate all possibility of drops of water being nung or blown off to the outside of the drum.

A drain tube 15 permits water from the receptacle to `be drained away when required and also permits the attaching of a rubber tubing for carrying water from the extra or additional water supply.

In Figure 1, also Figure 6 in detail, are shown a means for supplying water through the tubing to the water receptacle in the cooling attachment. This consists of a tank 18 with hose attachment similar to that shown in Figure 1` 'for the drum, and a water container of porcelain or glass type with a neck threaded to receive acap 21. l cap has a valve housing 22 for a valve 23, and a spring 24. tank 18 forces the valve to open position `and the water escapes to a height in the tank to form a water lock; Theytubing has communication between the tankj and the water receptacle in the cooling attachment and as the water in the latter is decreased or lowered the. supply j is automatically supplied from the extraneous tank 18. This arrangement may be varied by placing the extraneous tank any suitable distance away from the .cooling attachment and connected thereto by the hose of desiredlength.

The construction of the cooling attachment is thus simplied and strengthened, the throwing of occasional drops oi water eliminated, extra water automatically supplied and the invention more improved.

.The air current from the fan is sufficient to revolve the arms carrying the cloth just enough to cause a continual dragging or passage of the arms through the water at B, as the air tends to revolve and does not strike the varms and the cloth directly on their edges. Hence no extra blade or blades are required as in the former construction.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In ahumidier, a cylindrical casing or drum adapted to be supported with its axis horizontal, the front and rear walls of said drum being partially cut away at the upper portion to allow free passage of air,1while the lower portion of the casing constitutes va water tank, a rotor having flat radial blades mounted within said drum, absorbent material carried by said blades and adapted to: dip into the Water in said tank during rotation of said rotor, and a vwiper element for removing excess water from said blades extending from the innerV cylindrical surface of said drum and located just above the'water level in said tank. l v

. 2. In a humidifier, in combination, a cylindrical casing or drum adapted to be supported 'with its axis horizontal, and including a water tank Ain `its lower portion, the front and rear faces being cut away at their upperportions to allow free passage of air, a rotor mounted'in said casing and having a plurality of radial blades carrying absorbent materiahand a wiper adapted to 4engage each of the blades successively as they leave the water to remove excess water and to prevent undue speeding of the rotor, said Wiper comprising a flexible strip secured to the inner cylindrical The Inversion of this container in ther wall of said casing and extending radially a substantial distance into the path of themoving blades.

3. In combination with a fan having revolving blades and a guard frame surrounding the same, a humidier comprising a water receptacle surrounding a central opening, a rimless rotor having a plurality of flat imperforate radial blades mounted for rotation about an axis within the central opening, and coverings of absorbent material carried by the radals, with a portion thereof immersed in the water in said receptacle and a portion projecting at least part way across said central opening, and means for attaching said humidifier to said guard frame with the axis of the rotor coincident with the axis of rotation of said fan.

4. In combination with a fan having revolving blades and a guard frame surrounding the same, a humidier comprising a water receptacle surrounding an opening, at imperforate blades projecting radially from'a central axis within said opening, coverings of absorbent material carried by said blades, with aportion thereof immersed in the water in said receptacleand a portion projecting at least part way across said opening, said blades being mounted to permit rotation about said central axis, and means for attaching said humidier to said guard frame with the axis of the rotor concident with the axis of rotation of said fan.

5. In combination with a fan having revolving blades and a guard frame surrounding the same, a humidier comprising a water receptacle surrounding a central opening, a rimless rotor having a plurality of iiat imperforate radial blades mounted for rotation about an axis within the central opening, coverings of absorbent `material carried by the radials, with a portion" thereof immersed in the water in said receptacle, and a portion projecting at least part way across said central opening, and means for regulating the supply of water to said receptacle, and'rneans for attaching said lhumidifier to Vsaid guardframe with the axis of the rotor coincident with the axis of rotation of said fan.

6. Humidifying apparatus in combination with a fan having a guard frame, a Water receptacle carried by said guard frame and having a central open area to admit air currents excited by said fan, a rimless rotor comprising a hub mounted for rotation centrally of said open area and havp ing fiat imperforate radially projecting arms connected thereto, coverings for said arms composed of v absorptive material, a portion of which absorptive material is adapted to dipinto the water in said receptacle as the arms are rotated by air material, a portion of which material isadaptedl to dip in the waterin said tank during rotation of said rotary velementgandvmeans for supplying said receptacle with uid from a point remote therefrom.

' RUDDELL 4J. BYRD.` 

